Domenech: French players not lazy

Former France coach Raymond Domenec has hit back at Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti's accusations French players are lazy, and stated English players are "between two bars at training."

Carlo Ancelotti coached PSG between 2011 and 2013.

Domenech, 61, has been working as a media pundit since ending his six-year tenure of Les Bleus in 2010.

The former tough-tackling defender showed the uncompromising streak he displayed in the face of opposing forwards during his playing days when he countered former Paris Saint-Germain coach Ancelotti's recent claims on Ma Chaine Sport.

He said: "Carlo Ancelotti says the French don't like to train. I don't find that very nice. All the more so when you have a player like Blaise Matuidi in your team -- it's difficult to say that he doesn't work.

"I don't like people who leave and then criticise. Of course there are those who work, others who don't, but you don't have the right to say that. There are players in other countries who don't work, such as the English, who are between two bars at training.

"He says that the French don't push themselves. That's not true and upsets me. There are French players who have character, others who don't."

As coach of the French national side, Domenech steered them to the 2006 World Cup final, but then faced a player revolt at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.